The Secrets They Share
by Society's Failure
Summary: The things that happened when no one was watching were the ones that made all the difference. A series of TyZula drabbles. Chapter One: The first time Ty Lee feels the difference in their friendship, she is seven and sneaking around the royal palace.


_**Notes: Just gonna start some drabbles and leave them here... And stuff. I want to map out my headcanon and prolly do some AU for these two, so let me start with a kid post :'D WHOO. **_

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><p>The first time that Ty Lee had realized her friendship with Azula was different, she had been seven years old, and sneaking around after a visit to the royal palace's kitchen to filch some candied spice apples.<p>

Tip-toeing dramatically through the dimly lit halls, the small girl grinned as she made her way back to her room in the guest wing, a single large, sticky apple in her hands. Even at such a young age she was exhilarated by the pure rebelliousness her mischief represented. Bed times? Pah! She didn't need one of those. No more sweets past sundown? Who was gonna stop her? The _Fire Lord? _The thought made her giggle softly.

Passing by one of the main corridors that lead to the separate wing of rooms that held the royal suites, a flicker of movement caught her attention and made her freeze, her braid the only thing continuing to move as it swayed behind her. Darting to the less open wall, she hid behind one of the ornate pedestals that displayed the bust of some important Fire Nation hero. Squinting at the shadow of a figure moving slowly down the hall, she felt a smile creep over her features as she realized she recognized its identity.

"'Zula!" she whispered as loud as she could, skipping down the hallway excitedly. Her best friend and already come to stand outside her bedroom's door, and spun around in surprise when her name was called. But she didn't look very happy... If anything, she looked... Sad. Ty Lee's skip lost its bounce as she neared, and her brow creased in confusion. "Wha's the matter, 'Zu..." She trailed off after she had drawn close enough to see the princess's face clearly.

Azula turned away quickly, grabbing the other girl's arm and pulling her inside her bed room, fear emanating from her small form and hunched shoulders, usually so straight and proud. The younger girl closed the door behind them quietly, trembling as she stepped back. Ty Lee just stood, watching her friend with uncertainty and worry erasing her almost constant smile and lining her forehead.

"'Zula..." she started, taking a step closer to the other girl hesitantly. The black-haired princess stilled, and ducked her head down before turning and grabbing Ty Lee's hand again, dragging her over to her large bed and forcing her to sit down roughly. Taking the spot next to her, she looked through the corners of her amber eyes at the young acrobat, hiding the bruised and cut side of her face from sight.

"You can't say anything, Ty," Azula whispered, almost desperately. The brunette just blinked, not understanding. "It has to be a _secret." _The princess put such an emphasis on the word, and though her tone sounded nothing like the self-assured confident Azula she was used to hearing, Ty Lee nodded blankly. A moment of silence stretched between the two girls.

"Who did that to you, 'Zula?" she asked softly, worry making her a shadow of her normally exuberant self. The body next to hers stiffened.

"... I can't talk about it." The princess muttered, looking away. But it didn't take a prodigy to be able to put together who had hit her hard enough to hurt her. And who would be the only person who would ever do it and not get in trouble.

Ty Lee didn't say anything, though. Nothing to anger her friend, who got mad if so much of a word was said bad about her father. Instead, she stood and stepped in front of the firebender. Taking her hand, she placed the candied apple she had managed to hold into in her palm, and tried to smile warmly.

"When I get hurt, my mama kisses it and it helps make the hurt go away," she said with a note of decision. Azula's golden eyes just flicked back and forth between the sweet in her hand and her friend's face, not understanding. Ty Lee leaned forward then, and, placing a gentle hand on her unmarred cheek, pressed her lips lightly against the discoloured bruise, careful not to be too hard. When she pulled back with a reassuring grin, the princess just blinked in surprise.

"Better?" she asked brightly, feeling proud of herself for having come up with such a genius plan.

"... A bit, yes," the princess replied quietly, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. The smile was different from most that Ty Lee recognized. It was... Real. Like hers were. And with that smile, Ty Lee knew that something was different.


End file.
